Dennis Rodman was in Vatican City hoping to meet with the new pope

Eric Pfeiffer
·Reporter

Hall of Famer basketball star Dennis Rodman’s foray into statecraft apparently was not a one-time affair. At least in his own mind.

CBS Chicago reports that just weeks after his infamous trip to North Korea, Rodman was spotted in Vatican City on Wednesday, awaiting coronation of the new pope.

“I am over here to support the new black pope,” Rodman told CBS, in reference to Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana. “He’s 3-to-1 right now. He can come here with some fresh ideas.”

Of course, Turkson was not chosen. That distinction went to Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina, aka Pope Francis. In a separate interview, Rodman said he was hoping to arrange a face-to-face meeting with the newly elected pope.

Amazingly, or perhaps not surprisingly at all, during his CBS interview from Vatican City Rodman was wearing a T-shirt and hat promoting a gambling website.